Ulfa leaders Chitrabon Hazarika (left) and Sasha Choudhury being produced at the CJM court. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Nov. 9: Interrogators are focussing on Ulfa “finance secretary” Chitrabon Hazarika, hoping to unearth the outfit’s funds source in the course of intensive grilling.

A source said security agencies were placing a higher premium on Hazarika than the outfit’s “foreign secretary” Sasha Choudhury, who was arrested along with him, since the latter’s post had become virtually redundant.

“We expect Hazarika to sing about Ulfa’s finances, its use and where these could be stashed. But, more importantly, we want to know who have been the big contributors to the Ulfa’s war chest, mode and places of payment,” a source said.

Several agencies, including the nascent National Investigation Agency, which was formed to probe terror cases, besides Intelligence Bureau, RAW and army, are likely to interrogate the two Ulfa leaders.

A note of caution has been sounded to the interrogators not to be “overzealous”, as that could lead to a backlash from human rights organisations.

Choudhury and Hazarika were held in Tripura when they were trying to infiltrate into India. Subsequently they were handed over to Assam police.

Assam police produced them in court last Saturday, following which the duo were remanded in 10 days’ police custody.

They were booked on charges of possessing illegal arms and cash under a case registered in 1998.

The source said if it was known where — bank or some other official institutions — Ulfa had parked its funds, efforts could be made to have these frozen with the help of the government of that country.

“Finance is the oxygen of these outfits. If we can cut it off, then it won’t take long for them to crumble,” the source said.

He said Ulfa was continuing to receive funds from both individuals and the corporate sector and once these were identified, action could be taken against them.

In the past, Tata Tea had been embroiled in a controversy over a payment made to an Ulfa leader for her treatment at a Mumbai hospital.

The leader, Pranati Deka, who is now in jail, is Hazarika’s wife.

The source said interrogators could not hope to learn much from Choudhury as he has not been active in his post.

“Earlier, he used to travel to different countries drumming up support for Ulfa’s cause and internationalising the issue of alleged occupation of Assam by Indian forces. But that has not been the case for some time now,” he said.